Developing aviation connectivity while decarbonizing the aviation industry : A mission possible 1

Abstract

Aviation infrastructure and the connectivity it facilitates link up the global city regions, command and control centers of the world economy. At European airports, airlines increased direct, non-stop connectivity by 21 percent and 70 percent between 2009 and 2019 to EU and non-EU destinations, respectively. The capacity crunch bears the risk that European society cannot fully benefit from socioeconomic value that aviation connectivity brings. At Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, consequences of the capacity crunch are clearly materializing. Since 2017, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol has been operating very close to the environmental capacity limit of 500,000 aircraft movements per annum. The aviation industry is currently responsible for 2 percent of global human-induced CO2 emissions and 4 percent of European emissions. Because of its focus on fuel efficiency and cost levels, the aviation industry has been improving its fuel and emissions performance for decades. According to the Energy Transitions Commission—led by Lord Turner—decarbonizing the aviation industry by mid-century is technically possible and economically feasible.